zero was a big round number

Zero was a big round number.

0

When she looked at her reflection, she just saw a hole… right in her center.

0

12345

Every day she watched the numbers

line up.

670 She wanted to count

too.

But how could a number worth nothing become something?

0Zero felt empty

inside.

2345

She watched One having fun with the others.

671

One was solid and strong with bold strokes and squared corners.

1

0Zero was big and round with no corners at all.

“If I were like One, then I could count too!” she thought.

She pushed and pulled.

She stretched and straightened.

She flipped and turned and finally

became...

0Z e r o

She sighed. Becoming like One, was too much of a stretch.

Eight and Nine rolled into the scene.

8 90

“If you doubled yourself up,

you’d be like me!” said Eight.

8 9So Zero twisted and

turned to try to be Eight

“Or you could be a nine with a longer line!” said

Nine.

8 9So Zero pinched and

puckered to try to be like Nine.

0But Zero could only be Zero.

“We’re on our way to join the others!” said Nine.

89“Come count with us!” said Eight.

Zero felt deflated.

890Eight and Nine

were numbers with value.

Of course they’d count. How could

they know how she felt?

00Zero had a new thought...

0If she could impress the other

numbers, that would give her value.

Sh’e leap, she’d soar, she’d sizzle, she’d shine.

She’d make a grand entrance and floor them all!.

0Zero began to spin.

0And then spin faster.

0And faster.

0And faster.

0And then she leaped into the

air….

…right into One,

who knocked over Two,

…where they all ended up in a big pile on Nine!

who crashed into Seven and Eighttoppling over Five and Six,

who fell into Three and Four,

9012345All of the numbers were bent out of

shape.

6 78

“It’s no use trying,” sobbed Zero. “I’ll never have value.

I’ll never be part of the count,” she said.

0

“It’s what’s inside that counts most” pointed out

Seven.07Zero looked at herself.

“But… what if I don’t have anything inside?”

07“Every number has value,” said

Seven.“Be open. You’ll find a way.”

0Suddenly Zero saw herself in a

new light.

I’m not empty inside. I’m open!

12345

Zero rolled up to the other numbers.

670 I thought of a way

for us to count even more,” she said.

89

12345

“Count more?”, asked Four

670

89“Woo hoo!”, said Two

“That sounds great!” exclaimed Eight

12345“Everyone counts!”

the numbers shouted.

670

89

12345

Zero jumped in. Then she leaped up high and

said.“Here’s something we

can try!If we help each other

soar, we can count even more! “ 67

089

10

And what’s next?20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100,000

10,000100 1,000

1,000,000“We do count more!”

the numbers cheered.

Zer o and the numbers explored and had fun, bringing more value

to everone!

56040230 7080900502600

010,902

8,675,309

0And this time when Zero looked

at herself,

She felt whole… right in her center!

TheEnd